Duplicating machine



Feb. 9, 1932. J. J. FLANIGAN 1,844,547

DUPLI'CATING ummm".

Filed Aug. 26%1929 Patented Feb. 9, 1932 JOHN J. FLANIGAN, F OAK PARK, ILLINOIS :DULPLICATING MACHINE Application filed August 26, 1929. Serial'No. 388,462.

My invention relates 'to duplicating machines of the type constituting the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 344,203, Filed March 5, 1929.

` In machines of this type the platen carriage is reciprocable along a bed which supports the gelatin band for the purpose of impressing the sheet upon the gelatin band. i rdinarily the length of stroke of the car- 'in riage is set to correspond to the length of the-sheet to be printed and the carriage is moved this length for each impression. In

certain classes of work, however, it is desirable to copy portions of the original or master on some sheets and all of the original on other sheets.

The object of my invention is to provide a machine which will meet these requirements in a simple and elfective manner, and I accomplish this by regulating the length of stroke of the carriage in accordance with the portions of the master imprint to be copied.

Other objects of my invention will appear hereinafter.

Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the upper portion of a duplicating machine embodying my invention lig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical section 4 1.o of the stop regulator;

li'ig. 3 is a front view thereof; and Fig. L1 is a perspective of the carriage stop. In 1 a portion is shown of the frame 5 of a duplicating machine of the type dis- :l closed in my copending application above n'lcntioned. On the top of this frame is the liat bed over which the gelatin impression hand (not shown) is stretched. The platen carriage 7 straddles the hed transversely and lo mounted to be reciprocated back and forth along the bed to impress the sheet upon the gelatin band during its forward stroke and strip or remove the sheet during its return stroke. The carriage has a suitable sheet i 45 guide 8 and a platen roller 9 for impressing the sheet on the band as the carriage travels. A handle 10 is provided by which the carriage and platen roller are operated. At the forward end of the bed a margin bar 11 is mounted against which each sheet is placed when inserted in position to register the sheet with the master imprint.

At one side the carriage is supported on suitable rollers (not shown) which bear on a traclway on the top of the frame. At the side shown in the drawings the carriage has an arm 15 which extends downwardly alongside of the upper portion of the machine frame. This arm at its lower portion has a bearing which embraces a guide rod or shaft 16 for supporting the carriage. The arm has separated bearing rollers 17 and bearing upon the upper side of the guide rod 16 for supporting this side of the carriage and guiding it in its reciprocating movement. The guide rod 16 extends along the side of the frame in parallel relation thereto and to the printing bed.- rPhe ends of the rod are mounted. in the frame members 19. The forward end of the rod has a. bumper or stop 2O which is positioned to determine the limit of return strolre of the carriage or in other words the starting position of said carriage. This construction is similar to that disclosed in my copending application above mentioned.

In the present structure, however, I provide an elongated sleeve member 21 on the guide rod 16 to serve as a bumper or stop to limit the forward or printing stroke of the carriage. In order to adapt the machine to the special .work of printing portions of the master or original I provide this stop member 21 with several shoulders 224, 23 and 24.- at dilierent positions in the length thereof. The carriage arm 15 has an extension member 25 the end of which is adapted to engage whichever one of the shoulders 22, 23 and 24 is positioned in the line of movement of said extension. The stop shoulders thus form definite predetermined limits for the forward or printing stroke of the carriage. The relative position of these shoulder stops is arranged to correspond with the length of the portion of the master impression which is desired to copy. In practice I use a cylindrical piece of rubber for the stop member 21 because rubber serves as a cushion to prevent shock to the carriage and to eliminate noise. This piece of rubber is provided with a central bore to permit it to be slid longitudinally of the guide rod. Its rear end, however, is secured to a flanged collar 26 which can be adjustably fastened in any position along the guide rod by means of the set screw 27.

Having determined the several lengths of printing stroke for the carriage corresponding to the portions of the master copy, I

place the stop member in proper position on the guide rod and then cut away sectors of the cylindrical member toform the corresponding shoulder stops 23 and 24, these shoulders being in different positions around the sleeve that they may be individually brought into the path of the stop arm 25 of the carriage. In the present structure the end of the stop member 21 forms the shoulder 22. It is obvious, however, that as many stop shoulders may be provided as is necessary to meet the requirements. Instead of rotating the stop member 21 on the guide rod 16, however, I arrange to rotate the rod 16 to bring the several stop shoulders into position. The mountings 19 therefor are formed as bearings for the guide rod.

At the forward end of the guide rod 16 a disk member 28 is secured by means of the clamping nut 29. This disk has a plurality of outstanding pins 30 by means of which the operator may conveniently handle the device to rotate the guide rod and stop member 21. I prefer to use as many of these pins as there are stop shoulders on the stop member and to position them corresponding to said stop shoulders whereby the operator can instantly determine which stop shoulder is in position. If desired the disk 28 may have num- 'bers adjacent the perspective pins corresponding to the several stop shoulders, thus the disk will serve as an indicating dial for the purpose. In order to register the stop shoulders in proper position, one of the pins 30 has a spring pressed pin 31 in its end adapted to enter any one of a series of depressions 32 to yieldingly lock the device in any position to which it is rotated. The depressions 32 are provided in the face of a suitable wear plate 33 which is fastened by the bolts 34 to the frame.

It is thus seen that the construction is very compact and especially adaptable for the purpose. The stop regulator is positioned at the front of the machine convenient for the operator. The operator can instantly regulate the length of the printing stroke of the carriage, and this can be done between printing strokes of the carriage Without interfering to any appreciable extent with the speed of operation of the machine.

I am aware that changes can be made in the construction, operation and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention and I reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a printing bed, a platen carriage reciprocable along said bed, a guide rod for the carriage, a plurality of stops on said guide rod adapted to be moved into position to be engaged by the carriage to determine the length ofstroke of the carriage, and means for rotating said rod to move any one of said stops in position.

2. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a printing bed, a platen carriage reciprocable along said bed, a guide rod for the carriage, a plurality of stops on said guide rod adapted to be moved into position to be engaged by the carriage to determine the length of stroke of the carriage, and means located at the operators position in front of the machine for rotating said rod to move any one of said stops to position.

3. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a printing bed, the platen reciprocable along said bed, a supporting guide rod for the carriage adjacent said bed, a plurality of stops on said rod for varying the length of stroke of the carriage, and a diall member on said rod for rotating said rod to position any one of said stops and having means for indicatingwhich stop is in position.

4. In aduplicating machine, the combination of a. frame, a printing bed thereon, a platen carriage movable back and forth along said bed, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame adjacent the bed for guiding the carriage along the bed, a stop member on said shaft having a plurality of differently positioned stops adapted to be rotated by said shaft into position to be engaged by the carriage on its impressions stroke, a dial plate on the forward end of the shaft at the front of the machine for rotating said shaft and having means for indicating to the operator a stop which has been rotated into position.

5. In a duplicating machine, the combination ofa frame having a printing bed, a platen carriage movable back and forth along the bed, a guide rod for guiding the carriage along the bed, a stop member mounted on said rod comprising a cylindrical piece of rubber having stop shoulders formed atdifferent positions around its periphery, and means for rotating said rod to place anyone of said shoulders in position to be engaged by the carriage.V

6. In a duplicating machine, the combination of a frame, a printing bed thereon, a

platen carriage movable back and forth alon said bed, a shaft rotatably mounted on Sai frame adjacent the bed, a stop member on said sha-ft having a plurality of diierently posi tioned stops adapted to be rotated by said shaft into position to be engaged by the carriage on its impressions stroke, a dial plate on the forward end of the shaft at the front of the machine for rotating said shaft and having means for indicating to the operator a stop which has been rotated into position.

JOHN J. FLANIGAN. 

